And while it's tempting to look at this game as a sort of online "greatest hits" compilation of Resident Evil's best locations and characters, there just isn't enough here to warrant a $40 purchase. I won't argue that going online and shooting zombies is fun, but I've come to expect a lot more for my money. And when all you are giving me is content recycled from other games and a tutorial disguised as a mission mode, the experience just feels cheapened overall.

The technical side of things really doesn't help matters here either. I've already mentioned the repetitive character models, but there are plenty of other technical issues that plague Mercenaries 3D. One of the most pervasive issues involves persistent stuttering and framerate drops when you are trying to shoot zombies from afar. This was particularly detrimental for me, as my strategy frequently involved getting as high up as possible and shooting the zombies below. However, when zombies start shaking and then randomly respawning several yards away, it got a little frustrating.

The only technical area where Mercenaries 3D excels is its online matchmaking. This is the most important feature in the game, so I have to give it points for at least nailing the basics. Getting into online lobbies is quick, and finding matches took only seconds. I never really imagined the 3DS as an ideal platform for what is essentially an online-only game, but Mercenaries 3D works extremely well on the platform, and I never had to wait very long to get into matches with online opponents.

3D in the game is not really much of a feature. Your character does "pop" out from the background, but the zombies don't really stand out and environments are completely flat. What is interesting is that the included demo for Resident Evil: Revelations uses 3D to grand effect and features some truly impressive and scary moments. Though you won't be pestered by "gimmicky" 3D effects in Mercenaries 3D, you certainly won't be wowed by the visuals either.

I won't lie; I didn't have a horrible time with Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. Playing online, unlocking content, and shooting zombies with reckless abandon in some of Resident Evil's most famous locations is undeniably fun. However, for $40, this game needs more than just a stellar online mode. Even though the Resident Evil series isn't exactly known for its stellar story, I would have still liked to have seen some kind of story or single player mode on the cartridge, especially considering I don't often play handheld games in areas where there is wi-fi readily available. If you really like playing Resident Evil online, you'll enjoy Mercenaries 3D, but I doubt you'll find this to be a package worth the full retail price.

By
Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Senior Contributing Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.5

GraphicsEnvironments are expansive and animations are smooth, but 3D isn't implemented all that well. Additionally, frequent framerate drops when there are multiple enemies mar the visual experience.

3.7

ControlControls feature a decent amount of customization and work well on the 3DS.